The First One
by redskin122004
Summary: A Reaper see it work is completed after seeing thousands of cycles filled with blood and loss. It is time to end the nightmare...
1. Chapter 1

A single reaper stood away from the battle, ignoring anything that attempted to 'kill' it. It did nothing, it simply sat in the Amazon Rainforest and watched the forest. It listen to comm chatter and heard thousands of souls dying just to kill off the Reapers here on Earth.

_**-Its too late.-**_then it heard it.

_'Its now or never, Admiral. We are going in.'_ A voice broke into the chatter

_'Acknowledge. I'll send the word.' _Another voice responded _'All ships, this is Admiral Hackett. The Crucible is on the move. I repeat: The Crucible is on the move. Protect it all cost. Everyone. This is it!'_

_**-Crucible...it is...completed?- **_The reaper finally made some movement, almost as if it was looking up at the stars above.

_'Any available squadrons: Delay those Reapers from leaving the battle. We got to give Hammer more time.'_

**-_No...-_ **

_'Repeat, Harbinger is here. It is destroying Hammer! Shit! Shepard and his squad were blown away.'_

_'What is Harbinger doing, Major Coats?'_

_'Nothing...just sitting there ignoring everything we are throwing at it!'_

_**-Harbinger.-** _A low growl echoed out before taking off and heading towards London. _**-You will not take this one. Not if I can help it.-**_

-Mindscape-

Shepard walked towards the pillar of light, grimacing as he did.

"I am sorry Tali...Guess we are not going to get that beach house on your homeworld." He smiled as he began to run towards the light, missing the smirk on the 'child's' face. That was before another glowing form appeared before Shepard, stopping Shepard in his track.

"T-tali?"

"Wake up!"

"What?"

"I said wake up, Commander." The glowing Tali demanded.

"Stop! What are you-" the child demanded before the Glowing Tali struck her hand out, making the child vanish. It then turn towards Shepard.

"You are being indoctrinated!"

"What are you talking about?" Shepard asked, completely confused. The Glowing Tali walked up towards Shepard and pulled her hand back.

"Sorry, but WAKE UP!" and slapped him as hard as she could.

-Real world-

Shepard sat up with a gasp, startling Tali and Garrus who were struggling to keep Anderson and the others alive.

"Shepard! I thought...Keelah are you ok?"

"What...how...What?" Shepard looked around in confusion. "How did we get back to London?"

"Spirits Shepard are you-" A large crash echoed out and angry roars soon followed. The ground beneath Shepard shook like a nuclear bomb went off nearby.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Shepard shouted as he looked up and gaped at the site. Seeing a reaper up close was bad enough, seeing TWO reapers was worse. Seeing those two quite literally trying to rip each other apart was something else entirely. "What is going on?"

"I don't know." Anderson coughed out. "One moment, we are getting our asses handed to us. The next, this new reaper shows up and begins a beat down on Harbinger. All I really know is now we have a chance to get to the beam now that Harbinger is getting its ass kicked. We got move, NOW!"

They watched as Harbinger took off to lick its wounds and the new reaper turned to the others, causing them to freeze in place.

"_**Move little ones, I will protect you to best of my ability."**_

For a moment, everyone was struck dumb. Shepard managed to shake his head to clear the shock.

"YOU HEARD THE TALKING STARSHIP, MOVE!" as one, the grouped rushed forward. Several shuttles began their approached, followed by Oculus moving to destroy them. That was until the new Reaper sent forth its own Oculus to intercept them.

As soon as it was safe enough to leave them, the Reaper took to the sky. Destroying incoming Reaper Destroyers as it passed. It left a group of Oculus to protect them if anything came by to kill them.

-Space Battle field-

Admiral Hackett watched as the battle unfolded before his eyes. The loss was astronomical, but if the Crucible worked, it would be worth it.

_'Sir incoming Reapers!'_

"All ships open-" He was caught off guard when one of the Reapers simply exploded, a single beam of red light gutting it. The group of Reapers turned to face the threat, only to find they were facing one of their own. The single Reaper lashed out, gutting several of them, and avoiding returning shots to the best of its ability.

_'Sir...uh...one of the Reapers is...uh?-_

"All ships, target every other reaper 'EXECPT' that one, it is targeted as friendly until otherwise." Admiral Hackett order. The advancing Reapers were soon found themselves being bombard from behind. And were swiftly destroyed as soon as they tried to turn to face the oncoming threat from the rouge Reaper. Alliance Ships soon secured the area around the Crucible and surround the rouge Reaper.

_'Sir! Incoming transmission!'_

"Put it through. Who am I speaking to?"

_**'Salvation...my name is Salvation, and you completed my work. Finally...this nightmare may end.'**_

Hackett felt the blood drain from his face. "You mean Crucible is Reaper tech!"

_**'Hardly...it is a way to secure the galaxy from the Reapers...Once and for all.'**_


	2. Chapter 2

Shepard sat down, his head pounding from the mind rape session that Harbinger gave him 30 minutes earlier. Sounds of fighting echoing out in the Presidium, fighting against both Reaper husks and, to the shock of everyone, Cerberus Troops. What was worse was that they were working TOGETHER, making plans they had in place for them thrown out the window.

"Shepard...Are you alright?" Tali asked, Shepard looked up to see his crew standing by his side, even Javik. All of them resting together, giving the 'fresher' troops arriving to fight on the Citadel.

"No...I am not alright." Shepard groan, "I was almost indoctrinated by Harbinger, and was only saved by ANOTHER reaper."

"Loco," Vega started, "I seen some strange shit since I join up with you, but seeing a reaper fighting off another reaper is something new."

"Javik?" Liara turn to the prothean, "Have you ever heard of something like this." Javik open his mouth, everyone can tell by his face that it was going to be negative, but a thoughtful look flitted across his face.

"Maybe...Several times, my people would say they get away from a reaper due to it letting us go. We thought there was an indoctrinated agent on board, but it turn out to be false. Other times, we heard that several ships would fight against the reapers and win, with only one escaping. The strange thing is that the reaper that would escape would be at the back of the field of battle." Javik said, his eyes closed and his arms crossed.

"So...any other curve balls the reapers want to throw at us?" Kaiden asked.

"Maybe its a ploy," Garrus said, "Get a reaper in the middle of the armada and let it go nuts on us before being destroy."

"So we just walked into another trap!" Tali said, "No, that doesn't make sense, the reapers outside are losing ships. We are too many and many of them are making a jump to the relay."

"To regoup." EDI said, "Information from surviving networks are stating that several reapers are pulling back from several planets."

"Keelah, we need to get to that main control console and get the Crucible to activate."

"We don't even know what it does, Tali." Kaiden gritted his teeth. "For all we know it is just one big suicide bomb." This lead to everyone to start arguing with one another, even EDI and Javik joined in. Shepard couldn't blame them, they were tired and under the pressure of saving the galaxy. He growled and stood up, grimacing at the pain that shot through him.

"SHUT UP!" Shepard roared. Everyone stopped, even the soldiers nearby working on improving the new FOB's defenses stopped. "Please...just...just sit down and relax. We are not fighting right now, please, rest."

Everyone nodded their heads, none of them ever heard Shepard get angry, especially to them.

"Sorry Shepard." Garrus said quietly. "I...I guess we are finally understanding the pressure you were under." Shepard only lean back and closed his eyes.

"Commander!" an salarian ran up to the group. "Admiral Hackett is on the comms, he is looking for you!" Shepard groan as he got up.

"Lead the way." Shepard said tiredly. Shepard and his team followed the salarian, the sounds of gun fire getting dimmer in the distance. As they reached the main site, another flash of light hit came from the platform and a new group of soldiers appear. Most looked queasy, a krogan took two steps before violently throwing up on a vorcha, who in turn, punched the krogan in the stomach...which caused him to throw up again on the vorcha, much to its displeasure.

"This way Commander." the salarian indicated into a hotel that was re-purposed by the invading Alliance. Shepard was stunned to find himself engulfed in a hug from the petite form of one Kasumi Goto.

"Shep! You're okay!" She pulled him down and kissed him, much to his surprise, and to Tali's frustration.

"K-kasumi?"

"Hey Boy Scout." Jack said, punching Shepard lightly in the gut, causing him to groan.

"Jack..." he groan. He soon saw others standing there: Kasumi, Jack, Zaeed, Grunt, Miranda, Jacob, Wrex, and Samara. Friends...allies...his family. "You...All of you are still alive..." Jack smiled and hugged him.

"You ain't getting rid of us that easily." Jack retorted.

"Damn Shepard, you look like shit." Zaeed said, chuckling. "What happen? Someone set you on fire?"

"Close, Zaeed." Shepard chuckled as he walked up to him and shook hands "Reaper laser didn't agree with me." Zaeed barked out in laughter.

"Bloody hell, nothing can kill this man!"

"Of course not! He is my battlemaster!" Grunt roar out before slapping Shepard's back. "My battlemaster is no weakling."

"Here Shepard." Miranda said, when Jacob and Wrex came forward carrying a locker box. Miranda opened it and inside was Shepard's spare armor attachments. "Admiral Anderson asked me and Kasumi to board the Normandy and gather your extra gear."

"Nice addition to the fish tank, by the way!" Kasumi quipped. Wrex only gave Shepard a smile and shook his hand. Jacob saluted him before reaching out for a handshake as well. Samara bowed before him, which he return to her. Shepard smiled for the first time in the last few hours. He felt better already seeing everyone...but there was images of several missing people came into view, and his smile fell.

"Shepard?" Kasumi looked worried at Shepard's frown, Tali walking up behind him and placing her hand on his back.

"Nothing...just...missing some people from our little family." Everyone understood who he meant: Mordin Solus, Thane Krios, Legion.

"We're family now?" Jack said, trying to cheer everyone up. "What am I in this dysfunctional family."

"That crazy little sister that no one likes to talk about." Zaeed answered, causing everyone, even Shepard to laugh.

"Fuck you old man!" Jack laughed.

"Why are all of you here?" Shepard asked, gaining everyone's attention.

"Hackett asked us to regroup with you, Commander." Jacob answered. "Said it was important."

"Commander Shepard!" the Salarian walked into the group. "This way, Hackett is on the line." Shepard nodded his head, no longer feeling weak when his...'family' was here to support him. Shepard stood on the QEC pad before an image of Admiral Hackett appeared.

"Shepard...my god...you look like shit." Hackett stared at him.

"Thank you sir." Hackett shook his head.

"Commander, is your team there. I mean everyone that worked with you and trusts you?" Shepard raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yes...they are here." Hackett nodded his head.

"Commander, I am not going to lie. Things look good for now. We manage to drive the Reapers out of the system. But reports are coming in that several reapers from other systems are leaving their fights and headed straight here. We are sending every thing and everyone to the Citadel."

"What!" Shepard looked confused "Why?"

"We can't protect an entire planet, Shepard. Besides, the Reapers want the Citadel, because we have the Crucible ready."

"Sir...We still clearing the Presidium. I can get the team-"

"No, your team has someone to meet."

"Who?"

"Salvation." Hackett answered. "The Reaper who fought off Habringer. It wants to talk to you and your team."

Shepard stayed silent for a moment, confusion evident on his face.

"What?" Shepard asked numbly.

"It...showed me things...memories." Hackett said, looking around, almost as if he was trying to wipe away a bad memory. "Its important, take an hour at most."

"I...I don't understand..." Shepard said.

"The process is like dreaming. It said you would know due to Harbinger failed attempt to indoctrinated you. I was worried, but I don't feel like siding with the Reapers, nor am I ordering everyone to leave the Crucible and the Citadel."

"I..."

"Shepard...Salvation...just." Hackett look tired. "Just go with this one. This plan is a bust or not. If the Crucible is a disguised Reaper weapon, we're dead. If it is a dud, we're dead. But it it works...it maybe the greatest weapon we got against the Reapers. A room has been prepared for your team."

"I...yes sir." Shepard whispered. Shepard watched as the image of Hackett vanished. He gave a quiet sigh, wondering how he was going to tell his team.


	3. Chapter 3

"Loco...I don't know about you...but there is NO WAY I am going to allow some Reaper to rummage around in my head." This was followed by a chorus of confirmation and agreement to the statement that was made by James.

"Reapers are not to be trusted Commander." Javik said, his eyes focused on Shepard. "This could all be a-"

"Trap. I know Javik." Shepard said, holding his head as everyone finally quieted down after talking and yelling non-stop for 10 minutes. "What other choice do we have? We have no way knowing what the Crucible does, and it was apparently design by this particular reaper. So either way, we're dead. We can not fire the weapon, but everyone will have to fight to the last man standing. But if we fire it and it turned out to be a trap, we will die anyways. What does it hope to gain from indoctrinating us now?" No one had the answer to this. To sow confusion among the ranks? There was already confusion so that was not need. Every Reaper in the Galaxy was making a bee line to Sol, the final battle was already gearing up.

"I don't get it though." Jack spoke up. "Why is this thing going to talk to us through dreams? Why not just use the comms?"

"Admiral Hackett said that it will be able to give more information through this way rather than comms"

"What gots me confused is this share dream thing it is going to put us under." Kaiden said, crossing his arms. "How is that possible? I understand that it can indoctrinate several beings at the same time, but have them able to link minds?"

"I think...I think only this Reaper can do that." Shepard said quietly. "When Harbinger was attempting to indoctrinate me, it looked surprised and confused to see Salvation in my mind. Like it never happen to it before...meaning this reaper is very different from the others."

"Commander Shepard?" An asari medic called as she walked into the packed room. "Would you and your crew follow me please." Shepard nodded his head and they left, taking a service elevator to a large room near the top floor. Inside, several comfortable cots sat inside, waiting for their occupants. Along with Edi and a large amount of geth troops. "Sir? Would you and your crew pick a bed please."

"Whats going to happen?" Shepard asked as he picked the closes one, with Tali on his right and Garrus on his left.

"These canister are filled with knock out gas, strong enough to take down a krogan." The medic said, she then turn to Tali. "Admiral, you are going to have to turn off the filters for this to effect you."

Tali nodded her head. "Got it. The geth program is making the changes now."

"Sir, this canister can keep you asleep for several hours. But in case of an emergency, these geth will inject you and the crew with stimulate to wake you up. They will also protect you from any intruders that try to break in."

"Anything else?"

"No sir." The medic answered, "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"No...thank you. Dismissed." Shepard said quietly. He turn to the others and nodded his head. "Come on...at least we will get some shut eye out of the deal." Everyone gave a small chuckle before laying down. "EDI. Knock us out."

"Acknowledge." She stated, before she and the three other geths activated the canisters. Smoke slowly filled the room. One by one, the occupants slowly fell asleep. Shepard was the last one still awake, his eyes slowly closing before surrendering to the darkness.

-Dream realm-

Shepard slowly open his eyes and found himself surrounded by familiar trees. He slowly walked around, expecting to see the little boy, but there was nothing there. No inky shadows, no giant buzzing reaper sounds, just him and the trees.

"Okay...now what?"

"WHERE THE FUCK AM I!" A voice echoed out, startling Shepard.

"Jack?" Shepard called out.

"Shepard! Where the fuck are you? All I see are some creepy trees!" she yelled.

"Um...I guess we are using my dream as a meeting point?"

"This is your happy dream place? Fuck...I am glad I can't see into your head." She said as she made her way to him. Shepard raised an eyebrow when he saw Jack. While he was wearing his armor, Jack was wearing what appeared to be a white dress that fell to her knees and had a full head of hair.

"Jack...have you seen yourself?" Shepard asked. Jack stared before looking down at her attire. Her face flushed and she rounded on Shepard.

"The fuck did you put me in?" Shepard cross his arms and stared at her. Jack's face flushed before looking away. "Okay...so I have girly persona in my dreams."

"Shepard?"

"Commander!"

"BATTLEMASTER!"

"Shep!"

One by one, his crew appeared before him, making their way through the dream trees. Some remain the same way they look as they always did. Namely Javik, Grunt, Zaeed (He was missing the discolor eyes though), and Garrus. Others looked completely different. Liara was wearing a beautiful asari design blue dress. Kasumi looked like a ninja who wore a 'kill me' orange color. (She defended that if it work for the character, then it will work for her in her dreams) Jacob had a simple clothes on, with an afro for some reason. Miranda had a stylish business suit on. Wrex looked like he was wearing his family's old armor, although it looked polished and updated. Vega wore what looked like an ancient pilot suit. Samara had what appear to be ancient Asari armor on. Kaiden wore his Alliance uniform, (However, he had two pedants on his chest. One with a young blond girl he didn't know, another with Ashley's face on it.) Tali stun everyone when she appeared, wearing ancient Quarian clothes and showing everyone her face for the first time...well...everyone but Wrex, Samara, and Shepard.

"Well...wait the hell are we waiting for?" Zaeed said, lighting up a cigar he pulled from his pocket. "Where is this giant Reaper bastard we are waiting for?" A light feminine laughter echoed out after he said this. Everyone turn to the females, but they shook their heads.

"It wasn't us." Kasumi said.

"_**No...it was me."**_ the voice echoed out. Everyone turn their heads when a wispy black shadow form in front of them. Slowly it gathered in to a form that stood slightly taller than Shepard. The black shadow lighten until it form a creature none of them has ever saw before.

Cat like features graced its face, eyes that lacked pupils, with a feline like nose and lips. All of this was offset with a third eye that formed in it forehead Its hair was was long, hanging all the way towards it feet. Fur covered its body, forest green in color. Its hands held 6 digits, with natural claws forming from it. It was...exotic as well as strange. It wore clothes, light and breathable from the looks of it, looking more like a toga of ancient human age.

"_**Hello warriors." **_The creature said, its voice strangely musical, **_"You stand before the First."_**

"The First?" Shepard asked "What does that mean?" The Alien smiled at Shepard, it was one filled with sadness.

"_**The first beings to come to life...The first ones to wander our galaxy...The first to fall."**_

No one understood at first before Tali fell to her knees, her face filled with understanding.

"Keelah..." She whispered.

"Tali?" Shepard went to her side.

"Shepard..." Tali said quietly. "The being that stands before us...She is the first of her kind..."

"I don't understand." Garrus said quietly. Tali looked at everyone, surprised that know one got the small, simple riddle.

"She represent the first living beings in our Galaxy...when it was just born and young." Tali said, looking at the Alien in the eyes. The Alien smiled and nodded her head.

"_**You are correct, Tali'Zorah Vas Normandy. I represent the Akelos, the name for my people. We traveled the stars when the galaxy was young and full of potential. Sadly... I also represent the fall of the galaxy as well. I was the last to fall against those you call the 'Reapers'...My name is Kedana...and this is my story...the story of our galaxy's fall to the Reapers."**_


End file.
